JUNCTION 37, YUKON TERRITORY, CANADA

JUNCTION 37, YUKON TERRITORY, CANADA

The morning we left Teslin and headed to Junction 37 (162 mile drive) it was raining.  Poor Bill was out trying to clean the bugs from the windshield in the rain.  It is a never-ending job for him each day – every morning and usually part way through our drive he is out there cleaning the windshield.  Within minutes of being on the road the bugs start splattering --- really plays havoc with my picture taking.  I try really hard to take the pictures in between the bug guts but that gets more difficult as the day goes on.

I don’t think I had mentioned that there was a forest fire which closed down Highway 37, the very road we needed to travel to get to Stewart, BC, our final destination with the group.  There are only two roads out of town, the road that was closed to Stewart and the one that would take us in the opposite direction back to Dawson Creek where we had started our caravan.  We kept getting mixed messages; “the road’s closed”;  “No, it is open”; “Well, it’s open sometimes but the smoke is really thick!” So when we woke up to rain we thought that was probably a good thing and actually hoped it would rain all day.  Anyway as we left Teslin the decision had still not been made by “Tracks” which way we were going to go.  Praying for rain!

As we traveled back through territory we had been through before we couldn’t help but notice that here on August 6^th, fall was already coming to this part of the country.  We could see the difference in the fireweed, the leaves on the trees and the grass and other plants along the road.  I tried to get some pictures but couldn’t get any that showed the subtle changes well.  They do have short summers around here.  Bill said it was time to finish up the trip and get out before the first big snowfall comes!  LOL

We made a few picturesque stops and were glad to have the chance to re-visit “Rancheria Falls”.  This was one of our first stops on the trip that had waterfalls.  It was such a quiet, peaceful, beautiful (and easy) walk to the falls that we made sure to retrace our steps.  There was an amazing difference.  Of course the sun wasn’t shining much but the falls were so much smaller --- the one barely was “falling” at all.  Also the lichen on the rocks that had been so bright and colorful on our previous stop had lost all that vividness.  The fireweed was losing it’s petals and going to seed.  Still a beautiful stop, just different as the season’s began their change.

WE SAW PEOPLE "BIKING" THEIR WAY THROUGH THE ALCAN HIGHWAY.... UNBELIEVABLE THAT THEY HAVE THE STAMINA AND STRENGTH TO HANDLE THIS KIND OF WORKOUT.  

We encountered these "German" buses throughout our trip.  They were at several of the same campsites.  Each of those little windows is a bed...that part of the bus has a slide-out.  Not sure I would want to travel this way.  Everyone on the bus is German and we only ever heard them speak German. 

Arrived at camp, set up and headed for the “briefing” for the next day’s journey.  Still not sure which way we were headed --- not sure what we even wanted them to decide.  We were a little unsure of the “smoke” damage that may occur in the motor home before we were through the “fire”.  Still we did not want to miss the next two stops on our route to finish the trip.

The decision had been made by “Tracks”.  We were going through the “fire”.  Some people did not like the decision but most agreed (some reluctantly) to stay with the group.  The rain continued on and off the rest of the evening so that was a good thing.

We had promised a couple, Vic & Pat, that we would play cribbage with them one night and as there were only a couple more nights before the end of the trip we agreed that this was going to have to be the night.  The campground had opened up a very nice shelter house for our use and about half the group ended up there playing cards, pool, farkle, or whatever.  After a few games of cribbage – Bill and I won 2 out of 3 games – we headed back to the motor home.  I had a cake to bake for George’s birthday party planned for the next evening.  Joan and I each were baking one so there would be enough for everyone.

Day over, relaxation time and a good night’s rest to get up early the next morning --- we needed to get in line by 7AM to be led through the “FIRE”.  We were headed through the fire, 209 miles to Iskut, BC, Canada.